Theme 1

Read the poem and answer the questions that follows

The Living Photograph

By: Jackie Kay

My small grandmother is tall there,

straight-back, white broderie anglaise shirt,
pleated skirt, flat shoes, grey bun,
a kind, old smile round her eyes.
Her big hand holds mine,
white hand in black hand.
Her sharp blue eyes look her own death in the eye.

It was true after all that look.

My tall grandmother became small.
Her back round and hunched.
Her soup forgot to boil.
She went to the awful place grandmothers go.
Somewhere unknown, unthinkable.

But there she is still,

in the photo with me at three,
the crinkled smile is still living, breathing.

a) In stanza 1, the ‘white’ hand belongs to whom?

The persona . (1 mark)

b) In stanza 2, what does the phrase ‘the awful place’ refer to?
The afterlife / The life after death / The grave. (1 mark)

c) Based on stanza 3, how old was the persona when the photograph was taken?
Three (1 mark)

d) Do you love your grandmother? Give two examples how do you show your love to
her?
Example 1: Call or visit her on a regular basis
Example 2: Always show your love and respect for your grandmother

(2 marks)
 Theme 2

Read the poem and answer the questions that follows

The Living Photograph

By: Jackie Kay

My small grandmother is tall there,

straight-back, white broderie anglaise shirt,
pleated skirt, flat shoes, grey bun,
a kind, old smile round her eyes.
Her big hand holds mine,
white hand in black hand.
Her sharp blue eyes look her own death in the eye.

It was true after all that look.

My tall grandmother became small.
Her back round and hunched.
Her soup forgot to boil.
She went to the awful place grandmothers go.
Somewhere unknown, unthinkable.

But there she is still,

in the photo with me at three,
the crinkled smile is still living, breathing.

a) In stanza 1, what does the grandmother wear in the photograpgh?

A white shirt of a specific English design, a pleated skirt and flat shoes.
. (1 mark)

b) Which line in stanza 2 tells us the grandmother has become senile?

The line, “her soup forgot to boil” (1 mark)

c) Based on stanza 3, what does the word ‘there’ refer to?

The photograph (1 mark)

d) Do you think keeping old family photos are important? Give two reasons for your
answer.
Reason 1 : Help keep memories alive.
Reason 2: They are great keepsake to pass on to our kids, in order for them to know
about ancestors that they never met.
(2 marks)
 Theme 3

Read the poem and answer the questions that follows

The Living Photograph

By: Jackie Kay

My small grandmother is tall there,

straight-back, white broderie anglaise shirt,
pleated skirt, flat shoes, grey bun,
a kind, old smile round her eyes.
Her big hand holds mine,
white hand in black hand.
Her sharp blue eyes look her own death in the eye.

It was true after all that look.

My tall grandmother became small.
Her back round and hunched.
Her soup forgot to boil.
She went to the awful place grandmothers go.
Somewhere unknown, unthinkable.

But there she is still,

in the photo with me at three,
the crinkled smile is still living, breathing.

a) Which line in stanza 1 tells us that the grandmother is loving?

Her big hand holds mine .
. (1 mark)

b) What happened to the grandmother in the last two lines of stanza 2?

She died (1 mark)

c) In stanza 3, which word means ‘wrinkled’?

Crinkled (1 mark)

d) In your opinion, why the writer’s grandmother’ is ‘tall’ in the photo?

I think it is probably because the photo was taken when the writer’s grandmother was
younger. Her back was not rounded and hunched then, so she looked tall. It could
also be because the writer was very young at the time. She is only 3 years old.

(2 marks)
 Theme 4

Read the poem and answer the questions that follows

The Living Photograph

By: Jackie Kay

My small grandmother is tall there,

straight-back, white broderie anglaise shirt,
pleated skirt, flat shoes, grey bun,
a kind, old smile round her eyes.
Her big hand holds mine,
white hand in black hand.
Her sharp blue eyes look her own death in the eye.

It was true after all that look.

My tall grandmother became small.
Her back round and hunched.
Her soup forgot to boil.
She went to the awful place grandmothers go.
Somewhere unknown, unthinkable.

But there she is still,

in the photo with me at three,
the crinkled smile is still living, breathing.

a) Based on stanza 1, name one physical attribute of the grandmother.

She has sharp blue eyes .
. (1 mark)

b) In stanza 2, which word means terrifying?

Awful (1 mark)

c) Which line in stanza 3 tells us the grandmother is still present in that photo?
But there she is still, (1 mark)

d) How do you think the persona feels when she looks at the family photograph? Provide
a reason for your answer.
The persona might feel sad as she missed her grandmother so much. The persona
might feel happy as she remembers all beautiful moments with her grandmother.

(2 mark)
 Theme 5

Read the poem and answer the questions that follows

The Charge of the Light Brigade

By: Lord Alfred Tennyson

Half a league, half a league,

Half a league onward,
All in the valley of Death
Rode the six hundred.
“Forward, the Light Brigade!
Charge for the guns!” he said.
Into the valley of Death
Rode the six hundred.

“Forward, the Light Brigade!”

Was there a man dismayed?
Not though the soldier knew
Someone had blundered.
Theirs not to make reply,
Theirs not to reason why,
Theirs but to do and die.
Into the valley of Death
Rode the six hundred.

Cannon to right of them,

Cannon to left of them,
Cannon in front of them
Volleyed and thundered;
Stormed at with shot and shell,
Boldly they rode and well,
Into the jaws of Death,
Into the mouth of hell
Rode the six hundred.

a) Based on stanza 1, who were the six hundred?

The six hundred were soldiers marching into battle. . (1 mark)

b) In stanza 2, which word means a careless mistake?

Blundered (1 mark)
c) What happened to the soldiers in stanza 3?
They were massacred by the cannons fires and bullets. (1 mark)

d) Why do you think the line "Rode the six hundred" is repeated many times in the
poems?
To emphasise that the 600 soldiers sacrificed their life on that day in the battlefield
(2 marks)

Theme 6

Read the poem and answer the questions that follows

The Charge of the Light Brigade

By: Lord Alfred Tennyson

Half a league, half a league,

Half a league onward,
All in the valley of Death
Rode the six hundred.
“Forward, the Light Brigade!
Charge for the guns!” he said.
Into the valley of Death
Rode the six hundred.

“Forward, the Light Brigade!”

Was there a man dismayed?
Not though the soldier knew
Someone had blundered.
Theirs not to make reply,
Theirs not to reason why,
Theirs but to do and die.
Into the valley of Death
Rode the six hundred.

Cannon to right of them,

Cannon to left of them,
Cannon in front of them
Volleyed and thundered;
Stormed at with shot and shell,
Boldly they rode and well,
Into the jaws of Death,
Into the mouth of hell
Rode the six hundred.
a) Where is the setting of the poem?
The battlefield / The war (1 mark)

b) In stanza 2, who is giving order to the soldiers?

The leader/captain . (1 mark)

c) Give an example of a personification used in stanza 3.

Jaws of Death/ Mouth of Hell (1 mark)

d) In your own words, describe the war.

They were 600 of soldiers were riding horses fighting in a battle. Their leader
ordered them to move forward and confiscate the guns. They were trapped with
enemy forces firing at them with cannon and guns from the left, right and front.
Yet, they marched fearlessly and fought until their last breaths.
(2 mark)

Theme 6

Read the poem and answer the questions that follows

The Charge of the Light Brigade

By: Lord Alfred Tennyson

Half a league, half a league,

Half a league onward,
All in the valley of Death
Rode the six hundred.
“Forward, the Light Brigade!
Charge for the guns!” he said.
Into the valley of Death
Rode the six hundred.

“Forward, the Light Brigade!”

Was there a man dismayed?
Not though the soldier knew
Someone had blundered.
Theirs not to make reply,
Theirs not to reason why,
Theirs but to do and die.
Into the valley of Death
Rode the six hundred.
Cannon to right of them,
Cannon to left of them,
Cannon in front of them
Volleyed and thundered;
Stormed at with shot and shell,
Boldly they rode and well,
Into the jaws of Death,
Into the mouth of hell
Rode the six hundred.

e) Where is the setting of the poem?

The battlefield / The war (1 mark)

f) In stanza 2, who is giving order to the soldiers?

The leader/commander . (1 mark)

g) Give an example of a personification used in stanza 3.

Jaws of Death/ Mouth of Hell (1 mark)

h) In your own words, describe the scene of the war.

The 600 soldiers were assaulted by the shots of shells of canons in front and on
both sides of them. Still, they rode courageously forward toward their own
deaths. (2 mark)

Theme 7

Read the poem and answer the questions that follows

The Charge of the Light Brigade

By: Lord Alfred Tennyson

Half a league, half a league,

Half a league onward,
All in the valley of Death
Rode the six hundred.
“Forward, the Light Brigade!
Charge for the guns!” he said.
Into the valley of Death
Rode the six hundred.
“Forward, the Light Brigade!”
Was there a man dismayed?
Not though the soldier knew
Someone had blundered.
Theirs not to make reply,
Theirs not to reason why,
Theirs but to do and die.
Into the valley of Death
Rode the six hundred.

Cannon to right of them,

Cannon to left of them,
Cannon in front of them
Volleyed and thundered;
Stormed at with shot and shell,
Boldly they rode and well,
Into the jaws of Death,
Into the mouth of hell
Rode the six hundred.

a) In stanza 1, which word means ‘attack’?

Charge (1 mark)

b) In stanza 2, what does the line, "theirs but to do and die" tell us about?
The soldiers obey the command even when they knew it would cause their death
(1 mark)

c) In stanza 3, what kind of weapons were the enemy using?

Cannons/ Rifles (1 mark)

d) State one positive trait that you admire about the soldiers. Give a reason for your
response.
Quality: Loyal /Heroic
Reason: Not a single soldier was discouraged by the command to charge forward,
even though all the soldiers realized that their commander had made a terrible
mistake
(2 marks)
Theme 8

Read the poem and answer the questions that follows

The Charge of the Light Brigade

By: Lord Alfred Tennyson

Half a league, half a league,

Half a league onward,
All in the valley of Death
Rode the six hundred.
“Forward, the Light Brigade!
Charge for the guns!” he said.
Into the valley of Death
Rode the six hundred.

“Forward, the Light Brigade!”

Was there a man dismayed?
Not though the soldier knew
Someone had blundered.
Theirs not to make reply,
Theirs not to reason why,
Theirs but to do and die.
Into the valley of Death
Rode the six hundred.

Cannon to right of them,

Cannon to left of them,
Cannon in front of them
Volleyed and thundered;
Stormed at with shot and shell,
Boldly they rode and well,
Into the jaws of Death,
Into the mouth of hell
Rode the six hundred.

a) What was the command given in stanza 1?

Forward the light brigade (1 mark)

b) What is the meaning of the line ‘Theirs not to reply’ in stanza 2?

The soldiers must not talk back to their commanders (1 mark)

c) In stanza 3, what does the word ‘thundered’ suggest?

The attack came with deafening sounds (1 mark)

d) Does war have any positive consequences for mankind? Give reasons for your
answer.
No because war causes mass destruction of cities and have long lasting effects
on a country's economy. (2 marks)